Free Stuff for Velo

I run into HS players all the time that simply don't throw hard enough to generate any coaches interest. They may play showcase, legion, both, or go to college camps...but here is the hard truth.... (say it in Dr. Phil's voice)

"YOU DON'T THROW HARD ENOUGH FOR ANYONE TO CARE ABOUT YOU".

Many players and parents want a quick fix, and don't want to put in the time to FIND A PLAN, much less WORK that plan consistently. PLans do exist.

Here are 4 long toss protocols for FREE.

If you know a below average thrower that wants to improve, please forward these links to him. 2 lawn mowing/car-wash jobs will pay for the baseballs. No partner needed. No excuses. Just an open field.

Give your pitching coach something to work with.

Jaeger off-season Jaeger Sports In The News :: Jaeger Sports
Jaeger in-season Jaeger Sports In The News :: Jaeger Sports
Jaeger off-season (inclement weather) Jaeger Sports In The News :: Jaeger Sports
Cross Symmetry long toss protocol http://www.crossoversymmetry.com/upload_content/protocol/protocol_31.pdf

 

The Rest of the Story

The final message in this commercial is......"But wait.....call in the next ten minutes and you can double your order FOR FREE,!!"

 

Not sure...

Emptybullpen....not sure how to take your reply. But I'm comfortable in my own skin. My post's intent was to offer something free w/no strings. So...enjoy!

 

Principles for improving

After hearing a HS student produce excuse after excuse for not doing long toss, I was reminded of college experience…

An uncommon start

I had a karate teacher at NC State that used to have a potential student practice 1 hour every day for a year…. ALONE. Only then would he have the privilege of joining the dojo. No one was allowed to say anything to that student except words of encouragement...FOR A YEAR. Corrective instruction would come once a month. This teacher’s students were excellent. And there were very few of them.

Dr. Ridgeway was old school.

"My wife says I'm a man of the 80's....the 1880's", he would say and then laugh. He was also very thoughtful as I recall. Once he referred to his dojo students as Paul’s letters to the world (a biblical reference). Made us feel special and encouraged.

He started teaching a PE class and you could join the Rogun Dojo upon completion of that class. I think Rogun means “Pack of Wolves” which is an atypical name for a dojo. Most are named for something graceful. The dojo was also atypical because… It was free. Also free of the trappings most dojo’s like colored belts and equipment. No pads. No protective gear. No excuses. No hands on hips showing disrespect. No talking -just doing. Practice was on a hard basketball or racquetball court. The only uniforms were white. The only belts were white, brown and black.

Nothing Fake about it.

One time Coach Valvano walked by with the basketball team during a sparring session and Valvano reportedly said, "I thought there was a war going on".

The expectation was that you would put in 1 hour every day ALONE in preparation for his group session at 7am on Saturday morning. Dojo practice typically lasted longer than 2 hours and included warm-up and stretch session, 50 front attacks, 50 counter attacks and 50 of each kick and block, then sparing (combat), then 20 kata (forms), then a brief cool down. Tough doesn’t describe it accurately.

Free does NOT mean easy

If your foot blistered or you ripped a callus, you just worked out in a slippery puddle of your own sweat and blood. If he corrected someone else's form, you just kept on punching, kicking or blocking the air in front of you until he finished instruction. If you sparred, you better give your opponent your best effort on any attack. "GO DOWN HIS THROAT" was a common instruction. And you better give your undivided attention when you received an attack.

Some students were normal looking people. Some were Olympic level boxers - freakishly large and quick. The women were fierce sparring partners - quick on quick. Some men were former wrestlers - good low movers. Each person was unique and tough. Serious and focused.

Better be Prepared

Dave, our dojo captain during my years, returned for a dojo practice several years later and found himself needing oral surgery because a white belt blew threw his block. Dave's advice was, "don't go back unless you are seriously, seriously prepared". I practiced on my own for a few years, but never returned. Never found an environment like it again - anywhere.

Focused Practice pays off

The ones that really excelled and were chosen as the dojo captains were the students that really ramped up their personal practice sessions. One student practiced every morning (in bare feet) on the intramural field at 6am for an entire semester . Call it "crazy" or call it "dedication", but I watched this guys karate form and power just go "off the charts" in about 4 months then he was awarded the title of “Captain”. The captain was the “enforcer” of the dojo, a leadership role given to the most dedicated, not the highest belt. This makes totals sense to me. Leaders set the tone.

Learn by Doing



In my memory, Dr. Ridgeway has a big grin with a gap in his teeth, is an elder in his Lutheran church, an uncommonly tough statistics professor, and he taught me many life lessons. I haven’t spoke with him since I graduated, but think about him still. I once asked him how a certain karate technique be performed. I described my choices. His answer was simple, "Do 500 of them...and then you tell me". Not exactly what I was looking for. I wanted the quick easy answer – the one without the foundation of hard work. But he was a master teacher who understood that students learn by doing. He told us that sometimes being intellectually smart got in the way of learning Karate. Students who turned their brain off learned more quickly. Do, assess, correct, do again…and repeat.

My feeling is that we need more Dr. Ridgeway types in this world – particularly in baseball.

PS. I believe his son Paul is lawyer, judge, a law professor at Campbell University, and the President of the Alumni Association at NC State. These principles must have helped him, and maybe they’ll help your son also.